# Vegetarian and vegan retreat food in Georgia (the country): Adjarian dishes for groups, 2026

Source: https://glampingtago.ge/blog/vegetarian-retreat-food-georgia · Updated 2026-10-28 · Glamping Tago

## TL;DR

- Georgian fasting food (samarkhvo) has no meat, dairy or egg, but a fasting menu can still include fish or honey, so strict vegans ask.
- Naturally vegan Georgian dishes: pkhali, ajapsandali, lobio, mchadi, shoti bread, badrijani with walnuts, tkemali and churchkhela.
- Mountain Adjara dishes such as borano, sinori and Adjarian khachapuri are vegetarian, never vegan: cheese, butter and egg.
- Walnuts are in most Georgian dishes and sweets; declare nut allergies at booking and learn the word nigozi (walnut).
- Glamping Tago in Khulo, Adjara has a fully vegetarian kitchen; group full board costs from 100 GEL per person per day in 2026.
- Three Orthodox fasts touch the April to October retreat season: Great Lent (to 1 May in 2027), the Apostles' fast (to 11 July) and the Dormition fast (14 to 27 August).

A retreat group in Georgia eats well on a vegetarian or vegan menu: pkhali, lobio, ajapsandali and mchadi are fasting food, while Adjarian mountain dishes are vegetarian, not vegan. Group full board at our vegetarian kitchen costs from 100 GEL per person per day in 2026.

A retreat group in Georgia (the country) eats well on a vegetarian or vegan menu, because Georgian cooking already has hundreds of meat-free dishes built around walnuts, beans, aubergine, greens and corn. The traps are hidden butter, egg in the dough, walnuts in almost everything, and fasting menus that can still include fish. This guide covers which venues cook for a plant-based group, which Adjarian and Georgian dishes are naturally vegan, what a week of meals looks like, how to handle allergies and the Orthodox fasts, and what full board costs per day in 2026.

We wrote it from our own kitchen. [Yurtalicious](/restaurant), the yurt restaurant at Glamping Tago in the mountains of Adjara, is fully vegetarian and cooks for retreat groups of up to 30 people every season from April to the end of October.

## Which venue fits a vegetarian or vegan retreat in Georgia?

The short answer: a venue whose own kitchen is vegetarian is the easiest, because nobody has to ask twice. Most retreat venues in Georgia are hotels with a standard Georgian menu, where a vegan participant eats from the side dishes unless the organizer arranges a separate menu ahead.

| Venue | Kitchen | Whole venue for your group | Sleeps on site | Drive from the nearest airport | Group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Glamping Tago**, Khulo, Adjara | Fully vegetarian, vegan dishes at every meal | Yes, buyout for 12 to 33 | 33 beds | 86.7 km, about 2 h from Batumi airport | Retreats up to 30 |
| Eco House Merisi, Keda, Adjara | Georgian and Mountain Adjara dishes, separate halal menu | Boutique hotel; ask about a buyout | 54 guests | 48.4 km, about 1 h from Batumi airport | Events up to 60 |
| Kiketi Farm, near Tbilisi | Farm-to-table restaurant | Restaurant shared with day visitors | Houses and treehouses on the farm | 44.6 km, about 1 h from Tbilisi airport | Restaurant 60 + 60 on the terrace |
| Lopota Lake Resort, Kakheti | Buffet dining hall plus three restaurants | Resort shared with other guests | Over 200 rooms | 105.1 km, about 2 h from Tbilisi airport | Events over 80 |
| Kvareli Lake Resort, Kakheti | Hotel restaurants, breakfast buffet | Resort shared with other guests | 300 beds | 139.8 km, about 2 h 15 from Tbilisi airport | Halls for 300 and 80 |

### Glamping Tago (our venue), Adjara

Where: on the ridge above Village Tago, Khulo municipality, at about 1,200 m. Drive: 86.7 km from Batumi airport, about 2 hours. Group size: retreats of up to 30, with the whole camp for one group and everyone sleeping on site. Full board for groups: from 100 GEL per person per day (2026). Season: 1 April to the end of October.

The kitchen cooks no meat and no fish. It uses milk, eggs and honey, and every meal has vegan dishes on the buffet. Our [online menu](https://glampingtago.ge/menu) marks each dish VG (vegan), LF (lactose-free), GF (gluten-free) and NF (nut-free), so a participant can check the lunch dishes before arriving. Breakfast and dinner are buffets [cooked fresh each morning by women from the village](/restaurant); lunch is a la carte.

> **Glamping Tago** (Village Tago, Khulo (Adjara)) - our venue
> We are Jonas and Lisa, a Belgian couple who fell in love with Georgia and opened Glamping Tago in 2021. Our kitchen has been vegetarian from the first day, so a plant-based group is our normal group.
> Price: Group full board from 100 GEL per person per day (2026) · Capacity: Retreats up to 30, 33 beds on site · Season: 1 April to the end of October · Google 4.9 (647)
> Pros: The whole camp for one group, and everyone sleeps on site; Fully vegetarian kitchen with vegan dishes at every meal; Menu marks every dish vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free or nut-free; The retreat organizer eats free for the whole stay
> Cons: The last 8.9 km from Khulo is a 4x4 road; minibuses take the Skhalta valley road; Closed from November to March; Tents and a dorm with shared bathhouses, not hotel rooms; Meat only as a planned BBQ evening for the whole group
> [website](https://glampingtago.ge/retreats) · phone +995 555 56 24 83 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJCWibuR1PXUARUTua5xy7clc)

### Adjara: Eco House Merisi, Keda

Where: Silibauri, in a side valley of Keda municipality. Drive: 48.4 km from Batumi airport, a little over an hour on mountain roads. Size: [weddings of 20 to 50, up to 60 at dinner, 54 sleeping on site](https://ecohousemerisi.com/ru/wedding__in_georgia/) in cottages and villas.

Its [restaurant](https://ecohousemerisi.com/restaurant/) seats 60 in the upstairs hall and 40 on the veranda, and serves Georgian and Mountain Adjara dishes with a separate halal menu. A vegetarian group eats here from the regular menu, so send your list of diets ahead. Merisi is not on the road to Tago: as a stop between Batumi airport and our camp it adds 23.3 km and about 38 minutes.

> **Eco House Merisi** (Silibauri, Keda (Adjara))
> The closest well-rated alternative to us in mountainous Adjara, with a large restaurant for a group dinner.
> Capacity: Events up to 60, 54 sleep on site · Google 4.9 (1596)
> Pros: Restaurant hall for 60 plus a veranda for 40; 54 guests sleep on site in cottages and villas; Mountain Adjara dishes and a separate halal menu; About an hour from Batumi airport
> Cons: A boutique hotel: a buyout has to be agreed with the hotel; A regular and a halal menu, no separate vegetarian one; In a side valley, not on the road to Khulo or Tago
> [website](https://ecohousemerisi.com/) · phone +995 557 21 71 77 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJwRAkzM5fXUARj4hAxj5oCak)

### Near Tbilisi: Kiketi Farm

Where: Kiketi, at [1,200 m](https://native-rest.com/) in the hills above Tbilisi, 30 minutes from the city. Drive: 44.6 km from Tbilisi airport, about 1 hour. Size: the [Native restaurant](https://native-rest.com/) seats 60 indoors and 60 on the terrace, open 09:00 to 22:00.

Native cooks farm-to-table with produce from the farm, and the menu changes regularly, which suits a group that wants a lot of vegetables. It is a public restaurant as well as a hotel, so your group shares it with day visitors; [Kiketi Farm](https://kiketi.farm/) itself has Oda houses, cottages and treehouses.

> **Kiketi Farm** (Kiketi, near Tbilisi)
> The farm-to-table option for a retreat that starts and ends in Tbilisi.
> Capacity: Native restaurant: 60 indoors, 60 on the terrace · Google 4.5 (738)
> Pros: Farm-to-table restaurant with produce from the farm; About 1 hour from Tbilisi airport; Restaurant seats 60 indoors and 60 on the terrace
> Cons: The restaurant is shared with day visitors; Restaurant tables need a reservation; In the hills by the capital, not the high mountains
> [website](https://kiketi.farm/) · phone +995 32 211 10 03 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJIcv9YogLREARdxCOqk23DTE)

### Kakheti: Lopota Lake Resort and Kvareli Lake Resort

Lopota's [Dining Hall](https://lopotaresort.com/gastronomy) serves a buffet for breakfast (08:00 to 11:00), lunch (14:00 to 16:00) and dinner (19:00 to 21:00) with organic produce from the resort's garden, next to Georgian, Italian and Asian restaurants. A buffet makes a mixed group easy: vegans pick around the dairy dishes, the rest eat everything. With [231 rooms](https://wedding-in-georgia.ge/venues/lopota-lake/), it is a resort you share with other guests.

> **Lopota Lake Resort & Spa** (Napareuli, Telavi (Kakheti))
> A buffet for all three meals makes a big mixed group easy to feed in Kakheti.
> Capacity: 231 rooms, events over 80 · Google 4.4 (2768)
> Pros: Buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Dining Hall; Vegetables from the resort garden; Georgian, Italian and Asian restaurants on site
> Cons: A large resort shared with other guests; Dining Hall buffet at set hours only, lunch 14:00 to 16:00; About 2 hours from Tbilisi airport, far from Batumi
> [website](https://lopotaresort.com/) · phone +995 32 240 04 00 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJEfkgp0HIRUARiHcbv4vtIPM)

[Kvareli Lake Resort](https://places.georgia.travel/en/establishments/kvareli-lake-resort) has 100 rooms on a 44-hectare lake in the Alazani valley, conference halls for 300 and 80, and restaurants on site. Recent guests praise the breakfast buffet.

> **Kvareli Lake Resort** (Kvareli (Kakheti))
> A lake resort in Kakheti with halls big enough for a large group and a breakfast buffet guests praise.
> Capacity: 100 rooms, halls for 300 and 80 · Google 4.6 (1753)
> Pros: 100 rooms and 300 beds; Conference halls for 300 and 80; Recent reviews praise the breakfast buffet
> Cons: A resort shared with other guests; Conference halls built for meetings, not a retreat hall in nature; About 2 h 15 from Tbilisi airport
> [website](https://kvarelilakeresort.ge/) · phone +995 32 230 50 90 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJcSWrFw3YRUARKO42ttubs6k)

### Kazbegi: Rooms Kazbegi

Rooms Kazbegi is the best-known retreat hotel in the Kazbegi mountains, 169.9 km and about 3 hours from Tbilisi airport over the Georgian Military Road. The [Kazbegi Kitchen](https://roomshotels.com/hotel/kazbegi/) cooks classic Georgian dishes with seasonal produce, so a vegetarian group orders from the regular menu. Its Google reviews from the last 12 months average 3.5, and several October 2026 reviews describe slow restaurant service.

> **Rooms Kazbegi** (Stepantsminda (Kazbegi))
> The best-known retreat hotel in Kazbegi. Its Google reviews of the last 12 months average 3.5, so we do not recommend it for a group this season.
> Google 4.5 (5568)
> Pros: Classic Georgian kitchen with seasonal produce; A large hotel in Stepantsminda
> Cons: Several 2026 reviews mention slow restaurant service; Recent reviews average 3.5 on Google; About 3 hours from Tbilisi airport
> [website](https://roomshotels.com/hotel/kazbegi/) · phone +995 32 271 00 99 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJP2ViFvcMREAR1pj01B_1XTc)

For a wider comparison of venues by region, see our [retreat venues in Georgia](/blog/retreat-venues-georgia) guide.

## Can a retreat group eat vegetarian or vegan in Georgia?

Yes. Georgian Orthodox fasting food (**samarkhvo**, სამარხვო) has no meat, no dairy and no egg. Ask for samarkhvo in a traditional restaurant and you get the plant-based part of the menu.

Samarkhvo is a strong hint, not a guarantee. Three things to know:

- **Fish.** The church allows fish on certain fast days, so a fasting menu [can include fish](https://thegeorgianguide.com/food-wine/vegetarian-vegan-georgia/).
- **Honey.** Fasting rules allow honey, so gozinaki (walnuts set in honey) and korkoti are samarkhvo but [not vegan](https://tbilisifoodie.ge/vegetarian-georgian-food).
- **Butter and cheese.** Some kitchens put dairy into dishes on their fasting menu, so a strict vegan [still asks](https://visit-tbilisi.com/vegetarian-tbilisi/) about butter and cheese.

The words that help: **khortsis gareshe** (without meat), **qvelis gareshe** (without cheese), **karakis gareshe** (without butter) and **kvertskhis gareshe** (without egg).

> **Good to know:** Soups and stews can be cooked on meat stock even when no meat is in the bowl, so they are the dish to ask about first. On the [Adjarian Wine House menu](https://menu.awh.ge/en/category/108) even the cucumber salad lists broth.

## Which Georgian and Adjarian dishes are naturally vegan?

The core of the Georgian table is vegan when it is cooked the traditional way: pkhali, badrijani nigvzit (aubergine rolls with walnut paste), ajapsandali, Georgian tomato and cucumber salad, mchadi cornbread, shoti and tonis puri bread, ghomi with bazhe walnut sauce, tkemali, satsebeli and ajika, churchkhela, pelamushi and tklapi fruit leather.

| Dish | What it is | Vegan? | What to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pkhali | Spinach, beetroot or bean puree with walnuts | Yes | A [chicken version](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pkhali) exists; ask |
| Ajapsandali | Aubergine, tomato, pepper and onion stewed in oil | Yes | Nothing |
| Lobio | Bean stew in a clay pot | Usually | Racha-style lobio comes with ham |
| Mchadi | Cornbread of cornmeal and water | Yes | Chvishtari is the cheese-filled version |
| Shoti, tonis puri | Bread of flour, water, salt and yeast | Yes | Nothing |
| Lobiani | Bread filled with beans | Sometimes | Egg in the dough, bacon fat in the filling |
| Potato khinkali | Dumplings with potato | Sometimes | Egg in the dough, butter on top: ask for garlic water instead |
| Churchkhela | Walnuts dipped in thickened grape must | Yes | Flour in it: not gluten-free |
| Gozinaki | Walnuts set in honey | No (honey) | Fine for vegetarians |
| Malakhto | Adjarian young beans with herbs, walnuts and sour grape sauce | Yes, in its basic form | Contains walnuts |
| Borano | Adjarian cheese melted in butter | No | Vegetarian, with mchadi |
| Sinori | Adjarian dough sheets with curd, garlic and butter | No | Vegetarian |
| Chirbuli | Adjarian eggs in tomato or walnut sauce | No | Vegetarian breakfast |
| Adjarian khachapuri | Bread boat with cheese, butter and an egg yolk | No | Vegetarian |
| Elarji | Cornmeal porridge kneaded with sulguni | No | Vegetarian |
| Matsoni | Fermented milk yoghurt | No | Vegetarian |

Mountain Adjara's own dishes are vegetarian rather than vegan. [Milk products are the base](https://gobatumi.com/en/news/wine-and-gastronomy) of the highland diet: borano, sinori, kaimaghi cream and the boat-shaped Adjarian khachapuri all come from the summer pastures, with butter in most dishes. Our own guide to [Adjara mountain food](/blog/adjara-mountain-food) covers them dish by dish.

> **Watch out:** Georgian cheese is made with rennet. Imeruli is [milk, rennet and salt](https://folkways.today/georgian-dairy-products/), and sulguni, made from an imeruli base, is [clotted with rennet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulguni). Strict vegetarians who avoid animal rennet should ask which cheese the kitchen uses, or keep to the cheese-free dishes.

## What does a retreat group eat over a week?

At Glamping Tago a retreat group eats three meals a day in the yurt: a breakfast buffet from 9:00 to 11:00, lunch a la carte from 13:00 to 16:00 and a dinner buffet from 19:00 to 21:00. Coffee and tea are free all day. Everyone gets the same menu, and vegan, gluten-free and allergy needs are cooked on the side with notice.

Breakfast rotates between [khachapuri or lobiani from the oven](/restaurant), porridges, a frittata, a salad bar, brownies and banana cake. Dinner is one of three buffet variations each night, with ajapsandali, vegetable chanakhi, lobio, ratatouille, soups and salads and a dessert. Lunch comes from the [lunch menu](https://glampingtago.ge/menu): rice-stuffed peppers in tomato sauce, pkhal-lobio with mchadi and pickled vegetables, a pkhali board, grilled vegetables, Georgian salads, sinori and Adjarian khachapuri.

Here is a sample week for a seven-day retreat, built from our menu:

| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, arrival | - | On the road (see transport) | Welcome dinner buffet |
| 2 | Buffet | Lunch menu | Dinner buffet |
| 3, hike day | Buffet | Picnic or a late lunch kept for your return | Dinner buffet |
| 4 | Buffet | Khachapuri cooking workshop with our kitchen team | Dinner buffet |
| 5 | Buffet | Lunch menu, after a herb walk | Georgian supra (vegetarian) |
| 6 | Buffet | Lunch menu | Closing dinner |
| 7, departure | Buffet | - | - |

A week from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 7 is six days of full board. On a full-day lake hike our kitchen can keep lunch for the group's return, so say in your programme whether you want a picnic or a late meal.

> **Tip:** A cooking workshop in the evening does not replace dinner. If your programme has a khachapuri class in the evening, order salads and sides with it, or keep the buffet.

Guests notice the food: after the view and the staff, it is what our Google reviews mention most. One [review from May 2026](https://glampingtago.ge/retreats) sums up what retreat groups often say: "Even though we're not vegetarians, we didn't even want meat."

## How do you handle allergies and gluten-free for a group?

Collect every diet and allergy at booking and send one list to the venue. At Glamping Tago [allergies must be declared at booking](https://glampingtago.ge/terms-conditions), and vegan, gluten-free and allergy meals are cooked with advance notice. Everything comes out of one small kitchen, so it [cannot promise a plate free of every trace](https://glampingtago.ge/terms-conditions): for a severe allergy, talk to us before you book. The final participant count is due in writing 14 days before arrival.

**Nuts.** Walnuts are the main allergy risk in Georgian cooking. They are in pkhali, badrijani nigvzit, satsivi, bazhe, the walnut dressing on salads, churchkhela, gozinaki and some kharcho and lobio. The words to know are [nigozi (ნიგოზი) for walnut, tkhili (თხილი) for hazelnut and arakisi (არაქისი) for peanut](https://tbilisilocalguide.com/food-allergies-dietary-restrictions-georgia/). On our menu 11 of the 17 dishes are nut-free.

**Gluten.** Khachapuri, lobiani, kubdari, khinkali and both breads are wheat, and pelamushi and churchkhela can be thickened with wheat flour. Mchadi and ghomi (corn) are the naturally gluten-free staples. On a label, [უგლუტენო or გლუტენის გარეშე](https://tbilisilocalguide.com/food-allergies-dietary-restrictions-georgia/) means gluten-free. On our menu 9 of the 17 dishes are gluten-free. [Dedicated gluten-free cafes](https://www.atly.com/best/gluten-free/georgia) are in Tbilisi and Kutaisi; in Adjara, plan the gluten-free meals with your venue.

**Lactose and dairy.** 8 of our 17 menu dishes are lactose-free and 8 are vegan. For a vegan participant, the buffet dishes to skip are the cheese breads, borano and anything with matsoni.

> **Watch out:** Glamping Tago asks guests not to bring their own food. If a participant needs their own products for a medical diet, tell us at booking so the kitchen can plan for it.

## When are the Orthodox fasts in 2026 and 2027, and what changes for a retreat?

The Georgian church keeps the old (Julian) calendar, so check the dates against the Georgian calendar, not a Western one. Three of them land in the April to October retreat season:

| Fast | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Great Lent | 23 February to 11 April | [15 March to 1 May](https://biznesebi.ge/en/kalendari/saeklesio/2027) |
| Apostles' fast | 8 June to 11 July | 28 June to 11 July |
| Dormition fast | 14 to 27 August | 14 to 27 August |
| Nativity fast | 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 | - |

Most Wednesdays and Fridays are fast days too, outside the fast-free weeks such as Bright Week after Easter (3 to 9 May 2027). The 2026 dates come from the [Pravmir fasting calendar](https://www.pravmir.ru/kalendar-postov-i-trapez-na-2026-god/).

What changes for you: in a fasting period supermarkets stock fasting mayonnaise, cakes, chocolate and cookies on a [separate shelf](https://www.redfedoradiary.com/vegetarian-georgian-dishes/). On the strictest fast days even oil and wine are left out. The church usually gives travellers a [lighter fast](https://saint.ge/en/fasting), along with the sick, expectant and nursing mothers and young children.

> **Tip:** If Georgian participants keep the fast, ask the kitchen for a samarkhvo table at dinner: the vegan buffet dishes with no butter, honey or fish. At Glamping Tago, ask for it at booking with the other diets.

## How much does vegetarian full board cost per day in 2026?

At Glamping Tago [group full board costs from 100 GEL](https://glampingtago.ge/retreats) per person per day (about €35): a breakfast buffet, lunch and a dinner buffet, with coffee and tea all day. For 20 participants over six days that is from 12,000 GEL. Food and extras are paid at the end of the stay; the 30% prepayment that holds your dates covers the accommodation. The retreat organizer eats free for the whole stay; a co-teacher pays the normal rate.

**Where 100 GEL of full board goes (Glamping Tago, groups, 2026)**

| | amount | share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Breakfast buffet | 32 GEL | 32% |
| Lunch (25 to 31) | 31 GEL | 31% |
| Dinner buffet | 37 GEL | 37% |

| Item at Glamping Tago (2026 group prices) | Price |
|---|---|
| Full board, per person per day | from 100 GEL |
| Breakfast buffet | 32 GEL |
| Lunch from the menu | 25 to 31 GEL |
| Dinner buffet | 37 GEL |
| Children 0 to 6 / 6 to 12 | Free / 50% |
| Georgian supra (vegetarian), per person | 85 GEL |
| Euro-Georgian buffet, per person | 125 GEL |
| Signature menu, 5 courses, from 30 guests | 215 GEL |
| Georgian cooking workshop, per person | from 50 GEL |
| Guided forest and herb walk, per group | from 300 GEL |
| Corkage on your own wine, per bottle | 15 GEL |

For comparison, a single dish in an Adjarian restaurant costs about 18 to 30 GEL. At [Adjarian Wine House](https://menu.awh.ge/en/category/108) in Acharistskali, on the road from Batumi towards Khulo, borano with potatoes is 17.60 GEL, baked lobio in a pot 19.80 GEL, pkhali-lobio 22 GEL and sinori 29.70 GEL. In Tbilisi a pot of lobio costs [about 18 GEL](https://visit-tbilisi.com/vegetarian-tbilisi/) at a central restaurant.

> **Adjarian Wine House** (Acharistskali, Khelvachauri (Adjara))
> Named for its published prices of Adjarian dishes. At 4.1 on Google it is below the 4.3 we look for, so it is a price reference, not a recommendation.
> Google 4.1 (1317)
> [website](https://menu.awh.ge/en/category/108) · phone +995 577 21 40 02 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJAbUVmv-MZ0ARV1Rk4rm_BuM)

If you price the food into your retreat, the usual rule for yoga retreats is a food cost of [25 to 35% of the selling price](https://kitchennmbrs.app/en/knowledge-base/specific-kitchen-types-concepts/how-do-i-calculate-the-cost-price-of-a-meal-i-offer-at-a-yoga-retreat), plus 10 to 20% for buffet waste if you cater yourself. Our [retreat cost guide](/blog/retreat-cost-georgia) builds a full 7-day budget for 20 people.

> **Cost:** Drinks are extra. Alcohol and anything beyond coffee, tea and the meals goes on the group bill at the end.

## What if part of the group wants meat?

At a vegetarian venue the answer is a planned meat evening, not a second menu. At Glamping Tago there are three ways:

- **A BBQ live station** cooked by us for the whole group: 45 GEL per person. It is cooked for everyone, not for part of the group.
- **Meat khinkali on the supra**: 15 GEL per person.
- **Your own grill**: on a whole-camp buyout the group can bring its own meat for a mangal (grill) setup, 20 GEL. The restaurant itself stays vegetarian, so grilling is only possible when the group has the whole camp.

A dinner at a family guesthouse in the village is the fourth option, and it doubles as an evening out.

## Where can you eat vegan in Batumi on arrival or departure day?

Batumi has fewer vegan places than the older guides suggest. Go Vegan Cafe on Noe Jordania Street is [closed](https://www.happycow.net/reviews/go-vegan-cafe-batumi-240808), and [Tå-me Vegan Kitchen](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJo4rK6hOHZ0AR9XzR0VHOE40) on Parnavaz Mepe Street is temporarily closed. The reliable choice in the centre is Freeduchio, an all-day cafe with vegan food on the menu, open from 09:00 every day.

> **Freeduchio** (6 Griboedov St, Batumi)
> An all-day cafe in central Batumi with Israeli, halal and vegan food on the menu: the easy meal on arrival or departure day.
> Season: Daily from 09:00; to 21:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, 21:00 other days · Google 4.8 (8159)
> [Instagram @freeduchio](https://instagram.com/freeduchio) · phone +995 568 61 33 88 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJzyZ3OEmHZ0ARjmNrQxzutno)

For anything else, ask for samarkhvo dishes in a Georgian restaurant: pkhali, lobio, ajapsandali, mchadi and salads are on almost every menu. The big supermarket chains (Carrefour, Spar, Nikora, Fresco) stock tofu, soy and oat milk and dairy-free yoghurt, at a [smaller range and higher prices](https://sakhva-travel.com/en/blog/vegan-food-georgia/) than in Europe.

## How do you get a retreat group from Batumi to Tago?

From Batumi airport it is 86.7 km to the camp, about 2 hours. The road is asphalt as far as Khulo; the last 8.9 km up to Tago is a 4x4 road, 30 to 35 minutes by our 4x4 taxi. A minibus or Sprinter takes the easier way through the Skhalta valley: turn off the main road at Zamleti, 4.7 km before Khulo, and climb through Cheri and Dzmagula. Every route is on our [how to get here](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago) page.

- **Private 4x4 from Batumi**: 2 h 30, 265 GEL per car for up to 4 people.
- **Marshrutka**: Batumi bus station to Khulo every 30 minutes, 08:00 to 20:00, about 2 h 30 and 10 GEL, then our 4x4 taxi up, 75 GEL per car.
- **From Kutaisi airport**: the bus (25 GEL) or the train (31 GEL) to Batumi, about 2 hours each and 4 times a day, then on as above. A private 4x4 from Kutaisi straight to Tago is 5 h 30 and 465 GEL per car.

Food on the way: the marshrutka stops halfway for food and a toilet, and a group transfer can stop at a waterfall for a picnic for 50 GEL extra. Khulo has shops and banks, so buy snacks and take cash there. At the camp we have Starlink Wi-Fi.

> **Tip:** The dinner buffet runs from 19:00 to 21:00 and the drive takes about 2 hours, so a flight landing in Batumi after about 18:00 misses it. Plan the arrival meal with us at booking.

## Step by step: how to plan the food for your retreat

1. **Six to twelve months ahead**: choose the venue and dates. Groups and high-season retreats (June to September) usually book that far ahead.
2. **At booking**: collect every participant's diet and allergy on your registration form, and send the list with the booking.
3. **30 days before**: send the programme, including hike days, workshops and any evening event, so the kitchen can plan picnics and late meals.
4. **14 days before**: confirm the final participant count in writing, with the final diet list.
5. **On arrival**: introduce your participants with allergies to the kitchen team on the first evening.
6. **During the week**: tell the kitchen the day before about any change, such as a picnic lunch or a meat evening.

> **Good to know:** The weather in the mountains changes quickly. Pack warm layers and a rain jacket for every participant, and keep a rainy-day plan: the yurt, the indoor yoga dome and the evening sauna are all under a roof.

## A vegetarian retreat week at Glamping Tago

Our kitchen has been vegetarian since we opened, so a vegan or vegetarian retreat is the group we cook for every week of the season. You get the whole camp for your group of up to 30, three meals a day in Yurtalicious, the yurt restaurant on site, and a menu that marks every dish vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and nut-free.

Tell Anastasia your diets at booking and the kitchen plans the week with you: picnics on hike days, a khachapuri workshop, a samarkhvo table for fasting guests, or a BBQ evening if part of the group wants meat.

- **Group size:** Retreats up to 30, the whole camp for one group, 33 beds
- **Full board:** From 100 GEL per person per day for groups (2026), coffee and tea all day
- **Organizer:** Eats free for the whole stay
- **Diets:** Vegetarian kitchen; vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and allergies with notice
- **Meals:** Breakfast buffet 9-11, lunch 13-16, dinner buffet 19-21
- **Drive from Batumi airport:** 86.7 km, about 2 hours
- **Season:** 1 April to the end of October

## FAQ

**Is the food at Glamping Tago really all vegetarian?**

Yes. The kitchen cooks no meat and no fish; it uses milk, eggs and honey. Vegan dishes are on the buffet at every meal, and the online menu marks each dish vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free or nut-free.

**Can the kitchen cook fully vegan for a whole retreat?**

Yes, with notice at booking. A meditation retreat in August 2026 ate a raw vegan menu for the whole week, cooked by our kitchen.

**Do vegan dishes run out at the buffet?**

The dinner buffet runs from 19:00 to 21:00 and is cooked for the group that is booked. Give the number of vegans at booking and the kitchen cooks enough vegan dishes for them.

**What is samarkhvo?**

Samarkhvo (სამარხვო) is Georgian fasting food: no meat, dairy or egg. It is the easiest word for a vegan to use in a Georgian restaurant, but fasting menus can include fish and honey, so strict vegans still ask.

**Is Georgian food safe with a nut allergy?**

It needs care, because walnuts are in pkhali, badrijani, bazhe, satsivi, salad dressings and most sweets. Declare the allergy at booking; on our menu 11 of the 17 dishes are nut-free, and the kitchen plans the buffet around a declared allergy.

**Can we bring our own food or snacks?**

Glamping Tago asks guests not to bring their own food or drinks, because the restaurant is part of how the camp runs. Your own wine is allowed for 15 GEL corkage a bottle, and a medical diet is discussed at booking.

**What does a retreat participant pay for food per day?**

At Glamping Tago group full board is from 100 GEL per person per day in 2026, about €35. Children up to 6 eat free and children 6 to 12 pay half.

**Can a big group of 60 or 100 eat together?**

Yurtalicious seats 24 at the long table and up to 32 with extra tables, which suits a retreat of up to 30. Bigger groups sleep in the 7 family guesthouses in the village, with 64 more beds a 3 to 10 minute walk away, and still eat together at the glamping.

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Source: https://glampingtago.ge/blog/vegetarian-retreat-food-georgia
Glamping Tago, Village Tago, Khulo, Adjara (Georgia) · hello@glampingtago.ge · WhatsApp +995 555 56 24 83